Delivery of cigarettes and the like



R. J. A. CHANDLER' 1,992,740 DELIVERY OF CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE Feb.26, 1935.

Filed May 17, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 26, 1935. R. J. A. CHANDLERDELIVERY OF CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE Filed May 17, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Feb. 26, 1935'. R, A NDLE 1,992,740

DELIVERY OF CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE Filed May 17, 1934- s Sheets-Sheet 3V Patented Feb. 26, 1935 DELIVERY OF CIGARETTES AND THE LIKE Robert JohnAlexander Chandler, London, England, assignor to The American Machine &Foundry Company, New York, N. Y.

Application May 17, 1934, Serial No. 726,054- In Great Britain May 22,1933 10 Claims. (Cl. 198-25) tinuous rod are delivered axially betweenupper This invention relates to the delivery and coland lower endlessbands and 6 travelling at lection of cigarettes and like shaped articleswhich are formed as a continuous rod and severed into the desiredlengths, but for convenience the 'in- 5 vention will be described withreference to the collection of cigarettes.

The invention more particularly relates to the type of machine in whichthe delivery of the cigarettes is effected along paths transverse tothe'movement ofthe cigarette rod by the aid of a vaned drum orequivalent device rotating on an axis parallel to the cigarette rod andpreferably disposed so that the vanes engage the cigarette when thevanes are at their lowest position.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for receiving.the cigarettes from the drum and transferring them to the collectingband or conveyor under conditions which precludes harsh treatment of thecigarettes while obtaining eflicient delivery and collection whenworking with present day speed of cigarette manufacture.

The invention is of particular advantage when collecting tippedcigarettes to enable the cigarettes to be separated and collected intotwo columns or files, the cigarettes in each column having the tips allfacing in one direction.

According to the invention in a cigarette collecting machine of the typedescribed, transfer means are provided adaptedto receive the cigarettesafter they have been moved transversely by the vaned drum and positivelytransfer them preferably at a reduced speed of travel to the collectingband or conveyor.

Such means may comprise a rotary element adapted to rotate at a speedlower than that of the drum and having pockets into which the cigarettesare delivered by the vanes of the drum, the cigarettes being under thecontrol of the vanes until they are deposited into the pockets.

The rotary element maycomprise a spaced pair of deeply toothed wheelsprojecting through slots in a delivery plate element, whereby thecigarettes are removed from the spaced wheels and delivered onto theplate, which preferably has an inclined part down which the cigarettespass or roll to the collecting belt.

Further features of invention will be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figures 1 and 2 are sectional elevation and end elevation of one form ofapparatus according to the invention, while Figures 3 and 4 aresectional elevation and plan of a, modification. v I

.In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient modeas applied, by way of example, to a cigarette collecting device forseparating and collecting tipped cigarettes, see Figwas 1 and 2, thecigarettes cut off from the con-- a speed adapted to cause an axialseparation of the cigarettes. The lower band 6 extends beyond the upperband and beneath a rotary drum 7 provided with radial vanes or paddles8, 8a parallel to the axis of the drum and adapted to engage thecigarettes and move them transversely from the travelling band. Theconveying run of the lower band 6 at its outer side moves beneath anadjustable guide plate 9 which presents a shoulder 10 adapted to alignthe cigarettes on the conveyor as they are moved axially thereby so thatthey are in the correct position to be engaged by the appropriate vane.

The drum is divided longitudinally into two zones and the vanes 8 in onezone are staggered slightly with respect to the vanes 8a in the otherzone, circumferential stops 11 being provided between the vanes.

At the end of the drum remote from the cut oil a stationary flange orfence 12 is provided to form a stop for the cigarettes passing into thezone, formed by the vanes 8a, the arrangement being such that alternatecigarettes in their axial movement are brought to rest against the fence12 and the intermediate steps 11 between the vanes of the drum.

The feeding run of the lower travelling. band 6 is supported upon atable 13 which is curved upwardly at the delivery side of the band. The

move upwardly to the delivery edge of the table.

Leaf springs 14 are provided above the table andextend over the deliveryedge thereof, being bent downwardly toward the delivery edge ifnecessary. The springs ensure each cigarette in its delivery movementover the edge of the table 13 being in contact with and under thecontrol of the vane. The vanes of the drum are cut away at 15 toaccommodate the leaf springs.

Mounted below and to one side of the drum and rotating on an axisparallel with the axis of the drum is a series of spaced toothed wheels16, two wheels being provided for each zone. The teeth 17 are shaped toprovide relatively deep pockets 18. The toothed wheels are preferablyadapted to rotate at a slower speed than the vaned drum. For. example,the wheels 16 shown in the drawings are geared to the drum by gears l9to rotate at a quarter the speed of the drum, and the number of pockets18 formed by the teeth is accordingly four times the number of the vanedcompartments in each zone. It will be appreciated that the speed of thetoothed wheels will depend upon the spacing of the teeth thereon.

The cigarettes in each zone as they are pressed upon the curved table 13associated with the travelling band are successively transferred intothe pockets 18 of the toothed wheels from which they are subsequentlydelivered for collection onto the usual transversely running collectingband 20. The edge of the curved table 13 and the end of the spring M arepositioned so that, during transfer of a cigarette, they lie close to anadjacent pair of teeth on the toothed wheel, see Figure l, thus closingthe pocket formed thereby and ensuring proper transfer of the cigarette.

It will be appreciated that owing to the upward curving or the table 13and the slight downward pressure of the springs, the cigarettes will beunder control by the vanes of the drum until they are positively fedover the edge of the table by the vane.

The delivery of the cigarettes from the pockets of the toothed transferwheels 18 is effected by slotted plates 21 which extend between thetoothed wheels so that their inner ends lie beneath. the lower edges ofthe pockets of said wheels. As the wheels rotate the teeth will move thecigarettes forward and onto the slotted plate.

The slotted delivery plates are inclined down wardly at a suitable angleso that the cigarettes will roll down and onto the travelling collectingband 20.

A pivot bailie plate .24 may be provided at the delivery end of theplate 21 to control the lie of the cigarettes on the collector belt.

In order to prevent the delivery of a short length cigarette whenstarting up the machine or after a stoppage, the slotted plates 21 mayhave an open central portion so that as the short length cigarette isdelivered to the toothed wheels by the vaned drum it will fall throughthe open part or" the delivery plate and down the guide 22 into thereceptacle 23.

In operation, as the cigarettes are cut on from the cigarette rod theyare caught up by the conveyors 5 and 6 and axially separated. 'llheseparated cigarettes are then forwarded axially by the conveyor 6 andalternate cigarettes are fed into positions to be engaged by the vanesin the respective zones defined by the fence l2 and the division stops11 on the drum.

As the drum continues to rotate the cigarettes are moved transverselyoff the conveyor and posi tively delivered or deposited between thecurved table 13 and springs 14 to the pocketed wheels 16 from which theyare received upon the inclined plate 21 down which they roll to thecollecting belt in two separated stacks or columns.

Instead of the fixed partly inclined delivery plate a travelling bandmay be provided onto which the cigarettes are delivered from the toothedwheels, such band being guided on a drum concentric with the wheels androtating at the same or a lower speed.

Referring for example to Figures 3 and a the collector bands 25 may beguided around drums 26 coaxial with the pocketed wheels 16 and ifdesired driven at the same speed as the wheels. Alternatively the drums26 may be free to revolve on the shaft 27 of the wheels 16 and the bands25 driven at a speed different from that of the wheel, for example,slower, so that the cigarettes will be delivered thereon in spacedrelation or closed up as desired.

It will be obvious that instead of the two zone drum for the collectionof tipped cigarettes into .l,il53,74ld

two series, as above described, when dealing with non-tipped cigarettesonly one or more than two zones may be provided so as to deal with thecollection of cigarettes from high speed cigarette forming machines.

What is claimed is,

l. Mechanism for collecting cigarettes from a cigarette rod makingmachine comprising means for conveying the cigarettes axially, a vaneddrum mounted to rotate on an axis parallel to the cigarette rod fordischarging the cigarettes transversely from said conveying means, arotary fluted element mounted for rotation on an axis parallel to thecigarette rod and adapted to receive cigarettes in the flutes as theyare discharged from said conveying means and deliver them to a collectorbelt.

2. Mechanism for collecting cigarettes from a cigarette rod makingmachine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fluted element is rotated at aspeed lower than that of the varied drum.

3. Mechanism for collecting cigarettes lrom a cigarette rod makingmachine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fluted element comprises anaxially spaced pair or" deeply toothed wheels.

i. Mechanism for collecting cigarettes from a cigarette rod makingmachine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the conveyor passes beneath aguide plate having an edge adapted to maintain the cigarettes in axialalignment.

5. Mechanism for collecting cigarettes from a cigarette rod makingmachine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fluted element comprises anaxially spaced pair of deeply toothed wheels and a discharge plate islocated between the wheels to remove the cigarettes from the flutes and(16- liver them. by gravity to the catcher belt.

6. Mechanism for collecting cigarettes from a cigarette rod makingmachine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fluted element comprises anaxially spaced pair of deeply toothed wheels and the catcher belt passesround a drum mounted between the wheels whereby the cigarettes areremoved from the flutes by the belt.

7. Mechanism for collecting cigarettes from a cigarette rod makingmachine comprising a conveyor receiving the cigarettes from said machineand conveying them axially, a vaned drum for discharging the cigarettestransversely from the conveyor onto a delivery table, a spring forpressing the cigarettes onto the delivery table, a rotary transferelement having flutes adapted to receive the cigarettes and transferthem to a catcher belt, the arrangement being such that the cigarettesare under the control of the vanes until they are deposited over theedge of the delivery table and into flutes.

8. Mechanism for collecting cigarettes from a cigarette rod makingmachine as claimed in claim 7 wherein the delivery edge or the table iscurved upwardly to conform to the path or" the vanes.

9. Means for controlling the delivery of cigarettes as they aredelivered transversely from a conveyor belt comprising a series ofrotating vanes, a table across which the cigarettes are I successivelydelivered by said vanes, and spring means adapted to press thecigarettes onto the table, the arrangement being such that thecigarettes are under the control of the vanes until they are depositedover the edge of the table.

10. Means for controlling the delivery of cigarettes as claimed in claim9 wherein the delivery edge of the table extends upwardly conforming tothe path of the vanes.

ROBERT JOHN ALEXANDER CHANDLER.

